Cleansing packet and strip package comprising such packets



Dec. 23, 1969 v. E. CHANEY, JR 3,485,349

CLEANSING PACKET AND STRIP PACKAGE COMPRISING SUCH PACKETS Filed March 29, 1967' irme/vif 3,485,349 CLEANSING PACKET AND STRIP PACKAGE COMPRISING SUCH PACKETS Verne E. Chaney, Jr., 1000 Chestnut St. San Francisco, Calif. 94169 Filed Mar. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 626,781 Int. Cl. B65d 83/08 ILS. Cl. 206-56 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A package constituting a continuous strip of interconnected packets separable `from each other along tear lines therebetween. Each packet comprises an inner absorbent applicator sheet carrying a liquid or semi-liquid agent to be applied thereby, and an outer overwrap of plastic attached to the applicator and normally being sealed thereabout but being openable along the seal lines to expose the applicator for use at which time the overwrap becomes a protective backing therefor.

This invention relates to a cleansing packet, desirably in a strip package comprising a plurality of separable packets interconnected in end-to-end succession; and it relates more particularly to a package of the character described in which each packet includes an outer overwrap normally sealed about an inner impregnated applicator conned therewithin but is openable to expose the applicator for use whereupon the overwrap becomes a protective backing therefor. The package and packets cornprising the same have a wide range of particular uses for cleansing the skin. An advantageous use is for cleansing the anal region of humans in place of conventional toilet tissue.

An object, among others, of the present invention is to provide an improved package of the type described in which the inner impregnated applicator is attached to the outer overwrap which serves as a protective backing for the applicator or in use thereof and which otherwise encapsulates the applicator within a perimetrically closed pocket defined by such wrapper; and in which a substantial plurality of such packets are interconnected in end-toend succession to form a strip package from which each packet is readily separated for use. Additional objects and advantages of the invention especially as concerns specic features and characteristics thereof will become apparent as the specification develops.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of one type of package embodying the invention, such package constituting a helically-wound cylindrical roll formed from an elongated strip of interconnected packets;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of another type of package embodying the invention, such package constituting an accordion-folded stack formed from an elongated strip of interconnected packets and conned within a dispensing container therefor;

FIGURE 3 is a broken perspective view of the package-forming strip at an intermediate stage in its processing prior to its being folded along a medial line-such medial line being graphically depicted for illustrative purposes and, in the same sense, the restricted surface areas to be sealed to each other after the strip is medially folded also being graphically depicted;

FIGURE 4 is a broken top plan view of a portion of the strip comprised in the package of FIGURE l, for example;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a broken perspective View similar to nited States Patent O Patented Dec. 23, 1969 that of FIGURE 3 but illustrating a modified construction; and

FIGURE 7 is a broken perspective view substantially the same as that `of FIGURE 6 but illustrating a further modification.

One form of strip package embodying the present invention is illustrated in FIGURE 1, and the completed package of such embodiment is a roll constituted of successive convolutions of a long or elongated strip of interconnected packets Wound into a cylindrical roll much in the manner of a conventional roll of toilet tissue. The roll shown in FIGURE l is designated in its entirety with the numeral 1t), and it may yor may not contain a core-equipped central opening depending upon the character of the winding operation and whether a mandrel is used therefor and also depending upon the type of dispenser, if any, with which the roll is to be employed. In any event, the roll 10 is wound :from an elongated or endless strip comprised `of a plurality of individual packets 11 connected in tandem succession one with another along tear lines 12 dened by lines of weakness such as the perforations depicted. Accordingly, one packet 11 may be separated from the next adjacent packet by imparting a shearing force or tearing motion thereto along the intermediate tear line 12.

Another packaging embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 2, and in this form of the invention the elongated strip of packets is folded upon itself in accordion pleats or folds along the respective tear lines dividing adjacent successive packets to develop a stack thereof. In this figure the package-forming stack is denoted 10, the successive packets are denoted 11', and the tear lines between successive packets are denoted with the numeral 12. The entire package or stack 10 may be confined Within a container 13 which, in the form shown, has a dispensing opening 14 extending across the top wall thereof through which the string `or strip of packets 11' may be Withdrawn. As respects the packages 10 and 10', the interconnected packets :forming the same may be precisely the same in each instance and, `in the case of the embodiment of FIGURE l, the strip of packets is Wound into the cylindrical roll shown and in the case of the lembodiment of FIGURE 2, the strip of packets is folded into accordion pleats to form the stack illustrated.

' Each packet 11 is a laminated or multiple-layer structure that includes an outer backing sheet or protective overwrap 15 and an inner laminant or applicator 16 of sheet material secured to the overwrap 15. In the embodiment of the invention shown in detail in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the inner laminant or applicator sheet 16 is secured or attached to the overwrap 15 throughout or along the entire contiguous surfaces thereof or along a sufficiently large number of spaced locations there about that the effect of a continuous securance is obtained. In the embodiment of the invention shown in detail in FIG- URE 6, the inner laminant 16a is secured along a restricted edge portion 17 thereof to the overwrap 15a. Also, the inner laminant 16a is perforated along the edge portion 17 to form a tear line 18 that enables the inner laminant to be removed from the overwrap 15a should this be desired.

Any suitable means may be employed to effect such securance of the inner laminant 16 or 16a to its associated backing sheet as, for example, by means of an adhesive interposed between the contiguous surfaces of the inner and outer laminations. In this respect, the adhesive employed may be selected in accordance with the particular materials comprising the inner and outer laminations, but generally stated, substantially any conventional pressure-sensitive, waX-or-resin type or conventional wettype adhesive can be used so long as the adhesive bond is not destroyed by action thereon of the agent used to impregnate or wet the inner laminant, as will be described hereinafter.

Returning to the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 3 through 5, the protective backing sheet or overwrap may be a fiat web withdrawn from a parent or supplyroll thereof, and as such web is advanced along a predetermined path, the inner laminations or applicators 16 are placed thereon at spaced-apart locations therealong. The laminants or applicators 16 may be either wet or dry when placed upon the overwrap 15 and secured thereto, depending upon the particular fabrication techniques employed, but subsequent to Such placement of and wetting of each inner laminant with the desired agent, the backing sheet 15 is folded upon itself along the longitudinal medial line or axis thereof indicated by inclusion of the illustrative line 19 in FIGURE 3. Fold line 19 is a plain fold line, and consequently allows the backing sheet to be unfolded flat. It will be noted that the inner laminant 16 is slightly smaller in width or transverse dimension than the outer laminant 15 so that longitudinal marginal edge portions 20 and 21 are provided by the outer lamination 15 along the longitudinal edges of the inner laminant 16. Similarly, the longitudinal spacing between successive laminants 16 is suicient to provide transversely extending areas or marginal edge portions 22 and 23 along the transverse edges of each inner lamination or applicator.

Accordingly, when the outer lamination 15 is folded upon itself medially into a generally V-shaped configuration (sometimes referred to in the paper packaging art as an A-fold), the marginal edges 20 and 21 are oriented in superposed juxtaposition and, analogously, the opposite halves or sides of the marginal edge portions 22 and 23 are respectively superposed in contiguous juxtaposition. Evidently, the inner lamination 16 is also folded into such V-shaped configuration and it is located within the confines of the outer lamination 15. Thereafter, the outer lamination 15 is secured to itself along such juxtaposed marginal edge portions to form the aforementioned packets 11, and referring to FIGURE 4, the secured areas along such marginal edge portions are denoted with the numerals 24, 25 and 26. Thus, the overwrap 15 defines at each packet 11 a perimetrically defined pocket within which is encapsulated the associated inner laminant or applicator 16.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 7 is substantially the same as the embodiment shown in FIGURE 6, the only departure therefrom being in the size of the inner lamination. More particularly in this respect, as concerns the embodiment of FIGURE 7, the inner lamination is sufficiently wide in a transverse sense so as to require it to be folded upon itself in accordiontype pleats in order for it to be located within the dimensional limits of the outer lamination. In FIGURE 7, the outer laminant or overwrap is denoted 15b, the inner laminant or applicator 16b, the area of securance is designated 17b, and the tear line defined by the perforations along the inner laminant is identified as 18b. The inner laminant 16b in the particular form shown is sufficiently wide to enable it to be folded into thirds along the respective fold lines 27 and 28.

Each of the strip packages being considered is provided therealong with separation-facilitating structure associated with each of the various packets to enable the same to be opened along its perimetric closure to expose the associated applicator for use. Such separation-facilitating structure may take various forms such as one or more pull tabs, tear strips, or notches as, for example, the notch 29 disposed along a corner portion of each packet to enable the two juxtaposed layers of the overwrap 15 to be gripped between the fingers and stripped apart initially along` the heat-sealed areas 24 and 25 and finally along the heatsealed area 26. The precise location of each notch 29 with respect to its associated packet 11 may be selected to suit particular conveniences, but the corner location illustrated is considered effective.

Any suitable material may be used for the applicators 16 and, in the usual instance, a sheet-like cellulosic material may be employed. Quite evidently, whatever the material used it must be resistive to degradation or other deterioration resulting from the particular liquid cleansing agent employed to imprcgnate the same; and as respects impregnation, an absorbent material is advantageously selected for the applicators 16. In the usual case, a relatively fiexible material is desirable and one that is soft and pliable so as not to abrade or otherwise irritate the anal region which the packet is especially adapted to clean with a skin cleanser, medicant or other skintreating substance. In the same sense it is desirable for the surface of the applicator to be textured as, for example, by use of a creped or embossed paper so that the surface can pick up and retain foreign materials or substances that may be encountered along a skin surface traversed thereby.

The overwrap 15 is `formed of a material which is not only resistive to degradation or deterioration resulting from exposure to the agent used to impregnate the applicator 16, but it also is moisture resistant and substantially impervious to penetration by such agent in order to prevent leakage, evaporation or other loss thereof. and it further is substantially impervious to penetration by ambient air to protect such agent against contamination therefrom. Since the overwrap 15 serves as a protective backing for the applicator 16, it should similarly be exible to permit coextensive manipulation therewith. A number of materials having such characteristics may be used for the overwrap as, for example, metal foil with or without a plastic coating, resin or other impregnated papers, plastic materials, and laminants comprising several layers of such materials. In a typical embodiment exceptionally advantageous for toilet tissue use, a substantially moisture impermeable and heat scalable material such as polyethylene or polypropylene film, is used since it facilitates and simplifies fabrication in that the perimetric enclosure for each packet 11 can be provided by heat sealing the juxtaposed surface areas of the overwrap 15 along the areas 24, 25 and 26 as heretofore explained.

The agent with which the applicator 16 is provided may range quite widely in composition and use, and in the usual case will be in a liquid or semi-liquid form. By way of example, when used for cleaning, the agent carried by the applicator 16 may be a liquid concentration of soap or detergent, disinfectant, such as alcohol. an astringent, or a medicant or medicant-type substance. Suitable impregnants are disclosed in U.S. Patents 1,786,513 and 3,057,467

As indicated hereinbefore, the packets 11 are especially adapted for use in cleansing the anal region of the human body without causing irritation, by virtue of the emollient effect of the liquid cleansing agent carried by the applicator sheet 16. Also, infectious diseases resulting from improper cleansing of the anal region are minimized by such cleansing. At the same time, since the applicator sheet is attached to the overwrap or protective backing sheet, the hands of the user are protected from being soiled, particularly where the backing sheet is of plastic film. In this connection, the modification of FIG. l lends itself readily to the roll-type dispensing commonly employed with conventional toilet tissue paper, while the modification of FIG. 2 can be dispensed stackwise.

With respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and T'. since in both these embodiments the applicator sheet is attached to the protective backing sheet, they are also advantageously useful for anal cleansing purposes but` if desired, the applicator sheet may be readily removed from the backing sheet by tearing along the lines of weakness, and employed for cleansing other skin regions which may be also cleansed if so desired with the applicator sheet still attached to the backing sheet.

In all embodiments of the invention, the applicator sheet is folded upon itself together with the protective overwrap sheet in forming the packet, and when the overwrap sheet is opened the applicator sheet becomes available in its entirety for use while being still attached to tbe protective overwrap sheet.

What is claimed is:

1. A package, comprising a plurality of individual packets separably interconnected with those adjacent thereto and together dening an elongated strip of packets disposed in end-to-end relation, each of said packets including an outer overwrap providing a perimetrically closed pocket and further including an inner applicator encapsulated within such pocket, said applicator being attached to said overwrap and being provided with a human body cleansing agent protected by such encapsulation of said applicator, said overwrap extending from end to end of said strip and being provided at spaced intervals therealong with lines of weakness respectively interposed between Successive packets and dening tear lines along which one packet can be separated from another, said overwrap and each such perimetric closure therealong being substantially impervious both to such agent to resist penetration thereby and to ambient air to protect such agent therefrom, and the overwrap of each of said packets being separable along at least certain portions of the perimetric closure associated therewith to open the packet and expose said applicator for use whereupon the overwrap serves as a protective backing therefor, said overwrap being a continuous unitary single layer sheet folded medially upon itself along a fold line enabling flat unfolding of such sheet to provide overlapping surfaces along which the perimetric closures for said pockets are formed, and in which each of said applicators is suiciently Wide to at least approximate the width of said overwrap and is folded medially therewith to provide a multiple thickness within the associated pocket, the out side edges of all adjacent pockets being parallel to said fold line, and each of said applicators being attached along a restricted area adjacent only one edge thereof to a contiguous surface of said overwrap with a line of weakness adjacent said one edge to enable ready removal of such applicator from the overwrap.

2. A package, comprising a plurality of individual packets separably interconnected with those adjacent thereto and together defining an elongated strip of packets disposed in end-to-end relation, each of said packets including an outer overwrap providing a perimetrically closed pocket and further including an inner applicator encapsulated within such pocket, said applicator being attached to said overwrap and being provided with an impregnating agent protected by such encapsulation of said applicator, said overwrap extending from end to end of said strip and being provided at spaced intervals therealong with lines of Weakness respectively interposed between successive packets and defining tear lines along which one packet can be separated from another, said overwrap and each such perimetric closure therealong being substantially impervious both to such agent to resist penetration thereby and to ambient air to protect such agent therefrom, and the overwrap of each of said packets being separable along at least certain portions of the perimetric closure associated therewith to open the packet and expose said applicator for use whereupon the overwrap serves as a protective backing therefor; said overwrap being a continuous unitary sheet folded medially upon itself to provide overlapping surfaces along which the perimetric closures for said pockets are formed, and in which each of said applicators is sufficiently wide to at least approximate the width of said overwrap and is folded medially therewith to provide a multiple thickness within the associated pocket; each of said applicators being attached along a restricted surface area thereof to a contiguous surface of said overwrap; and a line of weakness being provided on each of said applicators along such restricted surface area defining a tear line enabling the applicator to be separated from its overwrap.

3. The package of claim 2 in which each of said applicators is substantially greater in width than said overwrap and is folded upon itself to approximate the width thereof for containment within the associated pocket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,739 12/1898 Scholich 206-57 X 1,576,088 3/1926 Bunz. 2,523,909 9/1950 Kreidler 15-10494 2,621,784 12/1952 Van Boytham 206-46 2,758,710 8/1956 Arens 206-56 2,840,080 6/1958 Clark 206-56 2,999,265 9/1961 Duane et al. 3,240,326 3/1966 Miller 206--46 3,298,507 1/1967 Micciche 206-46 FORETGN PATENTS 1,408,584 7/1965 France.

MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 15-104-93 

